By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


A pair of local residents have been appointed to state boards and commissions by the governor.

On Friday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed Maha Freij of South Lyon to the State Board of Ethics. The State Board of Ethics has jurisdiction to determine the ethical conduct of classified or unclassified state employees and public officers of the state executive branch. Freij is the executive director of ACCESS, an organization that strives for a just and equitable society with the full participation of Arab Americans. She holds degrees in accounting and economics from Hebrew University, and will represent Independents on the board for the next 3 years.

Whitmer also appointed Jason Jones of Dexter to the Michigan Trails Advisory Council. The MTAC advises the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and the governor on the creation, development, operation and maintenance of motorized and non-motorized trails in the state. Jones is the advocacy director for the Michigan Mountain Biking Association, which has recently worked with Hartland Township in creating trails at Settler’s Park. He is appointed to represent non-motorized users for a term that runs through mid-January 2025.